But when she picked up her parcel the war veteran couldn't have been more surprised.

Inside were five service medals from the Department of Defence's Directorate of Honours and Awards.

They included: the War Medal 1939-1945; the Australian Service Medal 1939-1945; the Australian Service Medal 1945-1975; the Japan Clasp; and the General Service Badge.

Ms Suckling, who joined the Australian Army Medical Women's Service in 1943, said that while the medals were totally unexpected they had brought back many memories.

Stationed in occupied Japan from 1947 to 1949, Ms Suckling said they had also reminded her of the reasons she, and many others, joined up.

"Australia was at war and you wanted the freedom to continue your life," she said.

"And at one stage that didn't look very likely."

Ms Suckling said another of the reasons she joined was hearing of the death of her father at Changi.

"The Red Cross got the information through to Mum but it wasn't until after the war that we heard officially," she said.

"I was in Tasmania when the men started coming home from Singapore and it was one of the worst sights I have ever seen.

"I don't know how some of them were still walking."

Ms Suckling said she had been stationed at the 130th Australian General Hospital at Eta-Jima, an island near Hiroshima, where they witnessed the aftermath of the atomic bomb.

"It was just rubble but you didn't think about it too much," she said.

"You were living it - you just got on with life."

Ms Suckling said she was eventually demobbed (retired) in 1949 and went on to teach at primary schools including St Michael's for 21 years.

A member of the Daylesford RSL the 81-year-old is looking forward to marching - with her "new" medals - on Anzac Day.

"I started marching in March 2003 - for myself and for Dad," she said.